AN EXPOSITION OF THE LAWES OF MOSES Viz. Morall Ceremoniall Iudiciall The second Volume Containing an explanation of diverse Questions and Positions for the right understanding thereof Wherein also are opened divers ancient Rites Customes of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles as they haue relation to the Iewish Together with an explication of sundry difficult Texts of Scripture which depend upon or belong unto every one of the Commandements as also upon the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes Which Texts are set downe in the Tables before each particular Booke All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages the Hebrew and Greeke and out of the distinctions of the Schoolemen and Cases of the Casuists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui ista facit non dimovebitur in aeternum By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. AN EXPLANATION OF THE CEREMONIALL LAVVES OF MOSES AS THEY ARE ANNEXED TO THE TENNE COMMANDEMENTS Wherin are cleared divers customes of the Iewes and also the customes of the Gentiles as they have relation to the Iewish out of the Originall Tongues the Hebrew and Greeke Together with directions how to make the right use of them in Preaching All serving to let us see how they leade us as types to Iesus Christ whom we see more clearely when the vayle is taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnia tendunt ad praxin By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR ROBERT KER of Ankerhome Knight Gentleman of his Ma. Bed-Chamber Honourable Sir WHen the Lord was to give unto his people the Tables of the Law the second time he commanded the people to stand at the foot of the Mount Aaron Nadab Exod. 24.2 3 and 18. and Abihu and the seventy Elders of Jsrael to worship a farre off in the middle of the Mount and that Moses should ascend to the top of the Mount enter within the cloud These three represented very well the three estates of the Church they who stood at the foot of the Mount resembled the Iewish Church Aaron Nadab and Abihu the seventy who ascended to the middle of the Mount resembled the Christian Church and Moses who ascended to the top of the Mount and entred into the cloud resembled the glorified Church and the Fathers say of those three that the Iewish Church was in extimis and and that the Christian Church is in atrijs and that the triumphant Church is in intimis that is the Iewish Church was in the utter court the Christian Church is in the middle court and that the glorified Church is in the inner court Let us make a comparison betwixt the Iewish Church standing at the foot of the Mount and the Christian Church which standeth in the middle of the Mount and we shal see a great difference betwixt them two First let us compare them in the Priesthood Melchizedeck and Aaron Heb. 7.3 Melchisedeck had neither beginnng of his dayes nor end of life he was borne before the flood and none who lived after the flood could tell when he was borne and he lived five hundreth yeares after the flood so that he seemed neither to have beginning nor end of dayes but the Priest who were after the order of Aaron behooved to deduce their genealogies and of whom they were descended Nehem. 7.64 or else they were secluded from the Priesthood Eleaz. in Num. 4. Secondly the Hebrewes say when the Tabernacle removed that Eleazar the Priest carried the oyle for the Lampes in his right hand Luc. 4.8 and 28.45 and the anointing oyle in his left hand the incense in his bosome and the meat offering upon his shoulder Eleazar was but a figure of Iesus Christ the Highpriest in the Christian Church who giveth grace Ioh. 1.16 Revel 8.3 1 Timot 2.5 Ephes 5.26 1 Cor. 5.7 the oyle of the Spirit for the understanding of the Scriptures who putteth the odours of sweet incense to our prayers and lastly he presenteth the Church as a pure meate-offering to his Father Next let us compare the people under the Law with these under the Gospell first their rites were carnall rites consisting in these touch not taste not handle not and even as Fathers forbid their little children to eate of such and such things or handle them not they specially restraine their basest senses but when their sonnes are come to maturity and age they forbid them to hearken unto evill or looke unto evill they restraine their noble senses especially so because the Iewes were but infants he trained thē up this way forbidding them to touch taste or handle but he forbiddeth the Christian Church things of greater moment againe let us compare them them in holinesse under the Law holinesse was written but upon the forehead of the Highpriest but under the Gospell the Prophet Zachariah saith that holinesse shall bee written upon the horse bridles to signifie the great measure of holinesse that should bee in the Church under the Gospell Thirdly compare them in the measure of their love under the Law every seventh yeare they were to let their land rest and to pardon their debtors and to give a full remission to them but see how farre the Gospell exceedeth the Law in this Peter asked of Christ if he should pardon his brother seven times as the Iewes pardoned their debtors the seventh yeare what answered Christ to him thou shalt not pardon seven times nor seven times seven times but seventy times seven times and as farre as the Iubile exceeded the seventh yeare as farre shall your charity exceede the Iubile that is to seventy times seven times Fourthly compare them in the measure of their knowledge their measure of knowledge under the Law was very small all things were covered and wrapped up to them when they carried the brazen Altar in the Wildernesse Numb 4.13 they covered it with a purple cloath When they carried the Arke it was covered with three coverings with a vaile Badgers skins Numb 4 6. and a cloath wholly of blew So the table of the Shewbread had three coverings all was covered save onely the Laver and Moses face was covered to them with a vaile when hee came from the Mount the Priests bare the things which they might not see To signifie a concealing of a part of the mysteries of the Gospell afterwards to be revealed Coloss 1.26 so the people saw but through a grate Heb. 9.1 but now the Temple of God is opened in the heaven and there is seene in his Temple the Arke of the Testament they stood a farre off
the Apostle maketh no mention of the golden Altar but onely of the golden censer maketh mention of the golden censer onely and not of the golden Altar and this he doth to signifie that this was the last period of the Leviticall service to be done away for the last thing which the Priest did when he came out of the Temple was to hold up incense with his censer The Highpriest when he went into the holiest of all once in the yeare he left the golden censer there for the whole yeare Why the Highpriest left the censer in the holiest of all Heb. 9.4 to signifie that this Leviticall service was to be layd downe and that Christs intercession indureth for ever and the Apostle passeth by all these things without the vaile to signifie that the ceremonies without the vaile were to be abolished The Angell appeared to Zacharias when he was offering incense At the right side of this Altar the Angell appeared to Zacharias Luk. 1.11 and first he appeared to him at the time of incense when all the rest of the ceremoniall service was ended and when he had done all things which were requisite in the first Tabernacle as dressing of lamps sacrificing putting bread upon the Table every Sabbath to teach us that now Christ was to come when the ceremonies were drawing to an end Why the Angell appered to Zacharias the father of Iohn the Baptist Againe he appeared to Zacharias who was the father of Iohn the Baptist to signifie that now Christ was neare comming because Iohn Zacharias sonne his forerunner was now at hand Why he appeared to Zacharias an inferior Priest Lastly he appeared to Zacharias an inferior Priest and not to the Highpriest to signifie that Iohn should be but a servant and one that should not thinke himselfe worthy to loose the latchet of Christs shooes The signification of the brasen Altar The Altar for the burnt offering was covered with brasse and it signified Christs passion as the golden Altar signified his intercession and as none might goe to the golden Altar to offer incense but he who might goe to the brasen Altar and offer sacrifice so we have no mediator of intercession but he that is the mediator of our redemption This Altar was a large Altar in Solomons time twentie cubits in length and twentie in breadth when there was a great sacrifice upon this Altar it was filled to the corners Allusion and Zachariah alludeth to this they shall be filled like bowles and as the corners of the Altar Zach. 9.15 When the Sacrifice was accepted of the Lord they tooke this for a signe that it was all turned to ashes A signe of the acceptation of the Sacrifices and they prayed the Lord turne thy sacrifice to ashes Psal 20.3 This Altar had hornes as the golden Altar had The Sacrifice was tyed to the hornes of the Altar and they that were to offer a sacrifice delivered the beast to the Priest and he tyed it to the hornes of the Altar and from hence he tooke it to the north gate and killed it and then the Priest cut it in so many quarters and laid it upon the Altar and burnt it Allusion and David alludeth to this Psal 18.27 Bind the sacrifice with cords even unto the hornes of the Altar There was one border about the Altar above and another at the foote of it The blood of the beasts sprinkled upon the Altar and powred under the Altar and there was a great ditch about the Altar where the blood of the beasts was powred which were killed this blood was brought from the north gate and sprinkled upon the hornes of the Altar and it ran downe to the foote of the Altar into that ditch where the rest of the blood was powred and it was all carried through secret passages to the brooke Kidron and Iohn alludeth to this Revel 6.9 Allusion I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God The border went round about the foote of the Altar that no man might fall into this deepe ditch where the blood was powred So the Lord commanded them to make battlements about their houses for the safety of men Deut. 22.8 and so there was peribulum or a wall round about the Temple to save the people that none fell over because it stood upon a hill The Lord placed the brasen Altar in the midst of the Court but AhaZ tooke it out of the owne place How Ahaz remooved the brasen Altar and set it upon the north side of the Altar of Damascus 2 King 16.14 even in that place where the Idoll of jealousie was set up at the north gate Ezek. 8.5 and here the glory of the Lord appeared at his owne Altar when he testified unto them by his apparition that hee was to leave his Temple for their Idolatry Ezek. 8.4 this vision of Ezekiel was in atrio gentium in the court of the Gentiles but when the Lord was to give sentence against them he came to the threshold of the doore Ezek. 10.4 Why Salomon sacrificed in the middle of the Court. Because this brasen Altar was not large enough to containe all the sacrifices therefore Salomon hallowed the middle of the court where he sacrificed the rest of the sacrifices 1 King 8.64 David and Salomon being Prophets and immediatly directed by the Spirit of God David and Salomon added many things which were not in the Tabernacle added somethings which were not in the Tabernacle as David for conveniencie caused the Priests to enter in the service of the Tabernacle when they were twentie five yeares of age whereas the Priests before did not enter in their ministerie to serve in the Tabernacle untill they were thirtie yeares of age So Salomon for conveniencie hallowed the middle court for the sacrifices because the brasen Altar could not containe all the sacrifices at that time being an extra-ordinarie sacrifice Something 's added in the Temple for signification Secondly something was added in the Temple for signification as Salomon added two Cherubims in the Temple which were not in the Tabernacle to signifie that the Gentiles were to be called and that the ministerie of the Angels should be extended to them Something added in it for order Thirdly something was added for order as David divided the Priests in foure and twentie orders but none of the Kings of Iudah else did the like neyther Iosias nor yet Hezekiah because they were not Prophets as David and Salomon were Quest Whether should any Altar be retained now in the Church or not Answ The Fathers call the Table of the Lord an Altar by allusion The fathers by allusion called the Table of the Lord an Altar but when they speake this they meane not properly of an Altar but onely they call it so because it carieth a remembrance of that sacrifice once offered There are foure sorts of Altars
the Arke which stood in the west end of the Temple It is a question whether this belongeth to the seventh Commandement or to the second The most hold that it belongeth to the seventh Commandement This is rather an appendix of the second commandement than of the seaventh to teach men and women modestie but if we will consider the words of the Law more neerely and the practise of the heathen it may seeme rather to be an appendix of the second Commandement In more nebuchim parte 3. for this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abhomination is spoken usually in the Scripture of Idolatry Maimone sheweth that it was the manner of Idolatrous men to stand with the imbrodered garments of women upon them before the starre Venus and the women put upon them mens armour and stood before the starre Mars and therefore it may seeme that the Lord expresly forbiddeth the woman to put upon her Celi the armour of a man Why women forbidden to put on mens armour and if it were forbidden onely to eschew filthinesse why would the Lord forbid women to put on mens armour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the men to put on womens cloathes rather then the mans cloathes putting Celi and Shimlath And Iulius Firmicus writing of the Idolatrous customes of the Assyrians saith that they worshipped Venus Men worshipped Venus with womens cloaths and women in mens armour and that it was not lawfull to the Idolatrous Priests to worship her nisi effaeminent vultum virilem sexum ornatu dedecorarent unlesse they changed their countenance and fained their sexe and disgraced themselves The ceremonies made a distinction betwixt the Iewes and Gentiles putting on womens apparell upon them And the Lord in all these ceremonials made a distinction betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles rather than betwixt the male and female Ob. Circumcision distinguished the males from the females therefore the partition wall of the ceremonies distinguished the male from the female as well as the Iew from the Gentile Answ Circumcision distinguished the people of God from other people The females circumcised in the males but it distinguished not the male from the female for the females were circumcised in the males Gen. 34.14 we cannot give our sister to one that is uncircumcised the ceremonies were instituted then to make a distinction betwixt the Iewes the people of God and the Heathen Commandement III. EXERCITAT XVIII Of the Nazarites vow Num. 6.2 When eyther man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite c. THere were three sorts of things separated to the Lord first the land every seventh yeare was separated to him Secondly the first fruits were Nazarites to the Lord in the originall it is ginnebhe nezirecha vuae separationis as the Seventy translate it or sanctificationis tuae as the Chaldee paraphrast hath it and thirdly Three sorts of things separated to God was nazareatus personae a separation of persons to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A separation of persons againe was eyther of men or women Num. 6.2 women Nazarits as Sampsons Mother was a Nazarit Nazareatus terra fructuum personaram when they vowed themselves this wayes Nazarits they were sayd Iaphli to doe some admirable or rare thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admirable esse So Nazarits according to their ages as they were adulti Nazaraus adultus juvenis pâ—rvulus Iuvenes or parvuli young men as Amos 2.11 they gave the Nazarits wine to drinke or little ones as Samuel Nazaraus seculi dierum Nazarits againe were eyther Nazaraei saeculi or Nazaraei diaerum Nazaraei seculi were those who were perpetuall Nazarits and might not be redeemed nor change their vow such as were Samuel Sampson Iohn the Baptist and Iames as Clemens testifieth these Nazarits some of them were separated to the Lord by the vow of their mother as Samuels mother vowed him a Nazarite from his conception min nagnaro as soone as he stirred in his mothers bellie The Child shall be a Nazarite from the wombe to the day of his birth Iudg. 13.7 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 movere from the time of his conception and from the time of his birth but when it is sayd Act. 3.2 he was lame from his mothers wombe here both the time of his conception and his birth are comprehended So Galat. 1.15 who separated me from my mothers womhe that is from the time that my mother conceived me So Psal 22.10 I was cast upon thee from the the wombe that is from the time that she conceived me So Iere. 1.6 Psal 58.3 the wicked are estranged from the womb they goe astray as soone as they be borne here from the wombe signified the time from their conception Nazzaaei dierum were those who vowed themselves a time onely but after the time was expired they were no more Nazarites The vow of the voluntary Nazarit lasted but thirty dayes as the Iewes gather Mamone of his treatise of entring into the sanctuary Cap. sect 8.14 Absolon polled his head the thirtieth day of his vow so did the voluntarie Nazarite say they and the inferiour priests shaved their heads every thirtieth day Those who were separated to be Nazarits were commanded to absteine from three things first from wine secondly from touching of the dead and thirdly that no rasor should come upon their head to cut their haire They are commanded not to eate the kernell of the raisin secondly not to eate the raisin It selfe and thirdly not to drinke the wine as they might drinke no wine so neither might they drinke ex maceratis vuis quas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or secundaria vina vocat Plinius So they might drinke no vineger the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as made of apples dates c. so a vino hordei as Athenaeus calleth it They were commanded to absteine from wine and strong drinke wine here is put before strong drinke Scriptura enim nominat genus quandoque post speciem Regula the Lord saith Amos 2.11 he raised up of their young men for Nazarits but vers 12. they gave their Nazarits wine to drinke they should have learned abstinencie from the Nazarits but they intised the Nazarits to drinke wine contrary to the Law The use that we may make of this is first to shew us that it is a sinne to be partaker of another mans sinnes Psal 50.18 when thou sawest a theefe then thou consentedst with him and wast pertaker with the adulterer Secondly not onely to be partaker but approve the same Rom. 1.32 thirdly it is a greater sinne to be examples to others in sinne as Iud. 11. woe be to them for they have gone in the way of Cain but it is the greatest sinne of all to provoke others to sinne as here they provoked the Nazarits to drinke wine and gave them wine to drinke Secondly they
Priests onely killed the sacrifice and sprinkled the blood and the Lambe was then caried home Secondly It was abhomination to sacrifice in Egypt Maimone in Corban Peshang cap. 1. ◠it was an abhomination to the Egyptians to see beasts killed there because they worshiped beasts as their Gods but it was not abhomination before the Lord for feare of the Egyptians they would not sacrifice there they might have sacrificed there as well as they killed the Paschall Lambe there it was a thing lawfull in it selfe We must distinguish two things in the paschal Lamb it was both a Sacrament and a sacrifice the sprinkling of the blood in the Temple was a sacrifice the eating of the Lambe at home in their severall houses was a Sacrament and so as it was a sacrifice they offered and as it was a Sacrament they received Reasons proving that the Paschall Lambe was a sacrifice Reasons proving that it was a sacrifice are these Reas 1 First 2 Chro. 30.1 Hezekiah gave Commandement that all the people should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passeover Wherefore should he have commanded them to come to the house of the Lord to eat it if it had not been a sacrifice if it had been onely a Sacrament it had beene enough to have bidden come to Ierusalem to eate it Reas 2 Secondly 2 Chro. 35.11 And they killed the Passeover and they sprinkled the blood it was the blood of the sacrifice that the Priest sprinkled Reas 3 Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. cap. 45. Iosephus writeth that Cestus Florus when he would shew to the Emperor the multitude of the Iewes that were in Ierusalem at the Passeover he desired the Priests that they might get the number of the people and how did the Priests find out the number of the people he saith by the number of the Lambes which they killed at the Passeover and then they reckoned how many were in every familie at the eating of a Lamb and so they found out the number of the people it was the Priest then that killed those Lambes and none else The Paschall Lambe a figure of Christ The Paschall Lambe was a figure of Iesus Christ the Paschall Lambe was taken the tenth day and separated untill the fourteenth at the evening of the fourteenth it was killed Iesus Christ the true Paschall Lambe Came sixe dayes before the Passeover to Bethania Ioh. 12.1 and the morrow after he went to Ierusalem where they met him with branches of palme trees and this was five dayes before the Passeover then he stayed foure dayes in Ierusalem and was killed in the day of the Passeover at night and thus he accomplished the ceremonies of the Law Quest Whether did the Iewes and Christ eate the Passeover upon the same day or not Answ Christ observed the true day Whether Christ kept the Passeover that same day which the Iewes kept in the end of the fourteenth day and the beginning of the fifteenth he eate it betwixt two evenings but the Iewes transferred the day and eate it in the end of the fifteenth day and beginning of the sixteenth and therefore when Christ eate the Passeover it was the day of the Preparation to the Iewish Passeover although indeed it was the true Passeover Iohn 17.62 When the Passeover preceded the Sabbath they used to transferre the holy actions of that day to the Sabbath that two feasts may not fall together and they did their common worke upon that day which should have been done upon the Passeover and reserved the holy actions to the Sabbath following and it was upon this day that they crucified Christ They kept this translation of feasts Why they transferred their feasts to the Sabbath lest the feast of Lots should have fallen 2 4 7. Lest the feast of the Passeover should have fallen 2 4 6. Lest the feast of the Pentecost should have fallen 3 5 7. Lest the beginning of the new yeare should have fallen 1 4 6. Lest the day of expiation should have fallen 1 3 6. They observed this translation of the feasts because they had certaine feasts which fell upon these dayes that two feasts should not fall together as the three feasts of Dedication the foure fasts mentioned in Zachariah and the feast of Lots When the divers keeping of the Passeover began This diversity was not kept so long as the first Temple stood whence arose it then it seemeth to have taken the beginning from the divers beginning of the moneth for when they reckoned their moneth from the apparition which was doubtfull and uncertaine hence it came to passe that the beginning of the moneth was not alwayes at the selfe-same period for the last day of Adar might fall out so that it should be the beginning of Nisan and therefore the Sanhedrin appointed that the full Moone should be the thirteenth day which according to the verity was the fourteenth this diversitie arose of this because of the divers apparitions of the Moone so they kept the preparation to the Pascha diversly Great dissention betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches for keeping of the Passeover When the Apostles have so clearely determined that matter that no man should bee condemned or judged for not keeping these dayes yet Satan came and did sow his Cockle and his Darnell and raised dissentions in the Churches betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches about the keeping of the Passeover the Easterne Churches alledged that Iohn and Philip celebrated the Passeover in memory of Christs Supper for they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourteenth day of the Moneth but the Westerne Churches alledged that Peter and Paul kept the Passeover upon the first Lords day after the fourteenth day of the moneth upon which day they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pius Bishop of Rome ordained the Passeover to be kept on the Lords day Pius Bishop of Rome in the yeere of God 147. gave out an Edict that the Pascha should be celebrated by all upon the Lords day yet those in Asia cared not much for this Edict and there arose hot contentions on both the sides Polycarpus Iohns Disciple came into Rome to settle this contention and he appointed that every one should celebrate the Pascha as they were wont yet this contention was not buried for the Easterne and Westerne Churches left not off one to write against another Victor the Bishop of Rome in a Synode holden there Victor his Statute concerning the Passeover ordayned that the Pascha should be celebrated there upon the Lords day from the fourteenth day of March untill the twenty one of that moneth Those of Caesarea Palestina Pontus and Achaia embraced this Edict yet others stood out against it and said they would keepe it according to Iohns tradition wherefore Victor excommunicated all the Bishops in Asia Yet Irenaeus Bishop of Lions Polycarpus Schollar setled the
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
a Potters field with it to bury strangers in Mat. 27.7 therefore they might sell a field for they bought this field to bury strangers in it First this field was not a fruitfull field Answ but a place where the Potters made pots and it seemeth that this field was adjacent to some poore house So Ioseph of Arimathea being of another tribe than those of Ierusalem for Arimathea or Rama was in the tribe of Ephraim but a great part of Ierusalem with Mount Calvarie and Iosephs Garden wherein he had his Tombe was in the tribe of Benjamin yet he bought a Garden being neere Ierusalem and the Hill Calvarie because it was a thing which belonged to the house within the walled Citie If a man might not sell his inheritance in Israel Object how could the Kings themselues inlarge their possessions or haue places of pleasure proper for themselues but we reade that the Kings of Iuda Israel had Orchards and Gardens and places of buriall proper to themselues which was a part of their peculium or proper right Answ The Kings might haue Orchards and Gardens proper to themselues places of pleasure but they might not buy the propertie of any mans Land or Vineyard Wherefore Naboth said well God forbid it me that I should sell my fathers inheritance they were but usufructuarij but the Lord was Dominus fundi and he that hath no right to himselfe cannot make a right to another Why might they sell their houses within a walled Citie and not their fields and grounds in the Country Levit. 25.13 The reason why they might sell their houses within the walled Cities The reason was this they might not sell their grounds that their possessions might be kept still distinct but because many came to dwell in the walled Cities and the houses were not so distinguished as the grounds and Vineyards therefore they might sell them this was also done in favour of the Proselytes that they might haue a dwelling amongst the people of God Conclusion The conclusion of this is as the Israelites when they morgaged their Land they had not power simplie to sell it because the propertie was the Lords therefore it was to returne unto him in the yeare of the Iubile So although the children of God morgage their part of the heavenly Canaan yet because the right is the Lords it shall returne to them in the yeare of that great Iubile CHAPTER XV. Whether the Iewes should be tolerated in a Christian Common-wealth or not ROM 11.23 And they also if they abide not still in unbeliefe shall be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in againe THere may be many reasons alledged why this sort of people should not be tolerated amongst Christians First if yee respect their profession and Religion they are to be secluded from us Christians and secondly in respect of their dealing with us in their civill contracts and bargaining As for their Religion First they detest us Christians who professe Christ for Christs cause Secondly they hold many damnable and blasphemous opinions concerning Christ first for his forerunner Iohn the Baptist secondly they hate Marie the Mother of our Lord Iesus Christ thirdly they oppose themselues against Christs natures fourthly against his Offices King Priest and Prophet fiftly against his death upon the crosse sixtly against his resurrection seventhly they oppose themselues to his imputed righteousnesse and lastly to his Gospell and they expect a glorious Messias to come First in detestation of Christ they detest us Christians they call us Goijm Gentes and Edomites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vastavit and when they would welcome a Christian they say welcome Shed that is Devill The Iewes detest Christians hinking that the common people understand not the word and they curse us Christians daily anathema sit externis in serpente that is they wish that we who are without their societie may be execrable as the Serpent But they detest those most of all who are converted from Iudaisme to Christianitie and they pray three times in the day against them morning midday and evening and thus they pray Ne sit quies Apostatis neque spes The Iewes expect Elias to come Secondly they expect Elias Tishbites to be the forerunner of their Messias and when they cannot resolue their hard questions to their Schollers they say Tishbi solvet nodos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when Elias Tishbites shall come he will resolue all doubts but Elias is come alreadie and they haue done to him whatsoever they listed Math. 17.12 They hate Marie the Mother of Christ and they call her Mara bitternesse and the herbe called Herba Mariae by them is called Herba suspensi because Marie bare Christ who was crucified upon the Crosse so a peice of money called grossa Mariae they called it in despite grossa suspensi The Iewes deny the two natures of Christ Then they deny the two natures of Christ for they deny his God-head inceptum est nomen Iehova profanari Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it thus illi caeperunt idola colere fecerunt sibi Deos erroneos quod cognominabant de sermone domini he understandeth here blasphemously Christ calling him Deum erroneum whom the Scripture call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of old they said Deus sanctus domus Iudicij ejus fecerunt hominem by the house of Iudgement they meant the trinity of persons for all the inferior house of Iudgment consisted of three and they said Duorum non est judicium so the Chaldie paraphrast paraphraseth the trinitie of persons by this paraphrase but now the Iewes doe set themselues against this and they deny it flatly They set themselues against his offices The Iewes set thēselues against the offices of Christ he was anointed King Priest and Prophet Hameshiah that excellent Prophet but in detestation of Christ they will not call their Tardigradum or slow-comming Christ Messiah but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delibutum they hate so the name of Christ They mocke the Kingly office of Christ Mat. 27.19 they put a crown of thornes upō his head for a crowne and they put a reed in his hand for a Scepter So they mocke his Priestly office he saved others let him saue himselfe Vers 40. and his Propheticall office Prophesie thou O Christ who is he that smiteth thee Mat. 26.68 So they mocke his death and his crucifying upon the Crosse they call Christs crosse the Woofe and the Warpe and so mystically when they speake one to another amongst Christians they call Christ the Woofe and the Warpe They deny the resurrection of Christ Mat. 28.15 and it is noysed abroad amongst them unto this day that Iesus Christ was stolen away by his Disciples and that he did not rise againe So they oppose his imputed righteousnesse and they say that every fox must pay his owne skin to the flayer and they say sit mors mea expiatio cunctarum
it this was called Hesperismus the ancient Greekes called this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the time when a mans shadow was ten foot in length for they measured the houres by their shadow when the shadow was of such a length then it was such an houre when their shadow was six foot long then they used to wash themselues and when it was ten foote long then they went to Supper The meat upon which they fed at Dinner and Supper was called Sagnadah their sustentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fulcrum a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fulcire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapere and Tereph victus their foode which commeth from the roote Taraph to take by rapine or hunt for the prey because of old they hunted for their meat Gen. 27.3 Take thy weapons thy Quiver and thy Bow and goe out to the field and take hunt me some Venison Things set before them upon the Table were Esculenta poculenta condimenta the first for meat What things were set upon the Table the second for drinke and the third for sauce to relish their meat Meat and drinke the Scriptures oftentimes expresse by bread and water 2 King 6.22 set bread and water before them that they may eat and drinke then it is added in the next verse he prepared great provision for them Their bread was of Wheat Barley Lentils Beanes Of their bread Wheat was the most excellent bread Deut. 32.14 I fed thee with fat of the kidnies of Wheate this bread when it was not fermented was called the poores bread Deut. 16 3. because the poore had not leasure to ferment it The second sort of bread was of Barley Barley a base bread which was abaser sort of bread used onely in time of scarcitie Revel 6.6 And for the basenesse of it Gideon is compared to a Barley Cake Iudg. 7.13 those were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eaters of Barley this Barley-bread is a bread which nourisheth little therefore it was a great blessing of Christ when he fed fiue thousand with fiue barley loaues Ioh. 6.9 They had a more baser sort of bread made of Lentils Millet and Fitches Ezek. 4.9 Daniel and his companions eat of the Lentils Dan. 1.12 Why Daniel eat Lentiles And the reason seemeth to be this why they eat Lentils and refused the Kings meat because they used not these Lentils in their Sacrifices to their Idols The Romans of old tooke their name from those and they were called Lenticuli Fabij They used also to eat herbes Prov. 15.17 Better is a dinner of herbes where loue is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith and Rom. 14.2 another who is weake eateth herbes and the reason why they would eat herbes seemeth to be this because men before the Flood eat herbes onely Their other meats were called Opsonia and their coursest sort of meat was Locusts and wilde honey Mat. 3.4 there were sundry sorts of Locusts of which foure sorts were cleane Levit. 11. the rest they might not eat of them Of their drinke Their drinke was water Sicera a composed strong drinke and wine mixed or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not mixed if they mixed it with water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinum mixtum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miscuit then they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when it was mixed with spices it was called Mimsach Libamen mustum Their Condimenta the sauces which made their meats to relish were Salt and Vineger onely Ruth 2.14 Dip thy morsell in the Vineger The spare dyet of Gods people By this which hath beene said we may perceiue what was the sober dyet of the people of God in old times they used but a spare dyet this was called by the Latines Mensa necessaria Seneca hanc mensam produxit ad aquam panem Three sorts of dyet There are three sorts of dyets set downe in the Scripture Iohn Baptists dyet Christs dyet and the Epicures dyet Iohn the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking Mat. 11.18 That is he eat wilde honey and the coursest things Our Lord dranke Wine but yet very moderately the Epicures dyet is Let us eat let us drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Iohn the Baptists dyet and Christs dyet are not the two extreames but they are both vertues the two extreames are the Epicures dyet Let us eat let us drinke and the dyet of the scrupulous man who eateth onely herbes Rom. 14.2 the Epicure taketh God to be an indulgent father to him in giving him the creatures to eat of them at his pleasure and the other taketh God to be a niggard who granteth not the liberall use of the creatures to his children Of the manner how they sat at Table AT the first in the daies of the Patriarches they sat streight up as we doe now and afterwards they sat in beds and some hold that they learned this custome from the Persians but this custome was more ancient than the Persians for it was in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. 9.22 And he brought them into the Parlor and made them sit in the chiefest place Ezek. 23 41. 2 Sam. 4.5 Sometimes they had triclinia when three sat in a bed or biclinia when two sat in a bed and they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they did Luxuriare Christ and his Disciples when they eat the Sacrament they sat in beds therefore when the Church of Corinth received the Sacrament together we must not thinke that they sat in beds as Christ and his Apostles did for then they should haue had too many beds which had beene excessiue and contrary to the more modest custome of the Greekes This kinde of sitting was halfe sitting and halfe leaning which the Evangelist calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet because it was usuall Table-gesture they call it sitting Ezek. 23.41 and the Hebrewes call their Chambers Mesubboth and their sitters Mesubhim If three sat in a bed then the midst was the chiefest place and he that lay in his bosome erat secundus a primo he was in the second place and he that sat next unto him was in the third place he that was best beloved leaned in the bosome of the Master of the feast To leane in the bosome a token of loue from this custome is that speech borrowed to be in Abrahams bosome to signifie that familiaritie and societie which the Saints of God shall haue with the Father of the faithfull in the Heaven and also to signifie the unitie of essence in the Father and the Sonne he is said to come out of the bosome of the Father Ioh. 1.18 Of their Feasts OF their sundry sorts of feasts of those who were invited to their feasts of the number of those who sat at their feasts the end wherefore they made feasts and more particularly of their excesse and pompe in their feasting compared with the Greekes They
more wicked than others they are not then called worse spirits because they are moe in number onely but they are worse because they are more malicious they are all bad spirits but some exceed others in malice and wickednesse many men doe mistake Satan and his Angels they thinke that some of them are spirits which doe no harme but they are all sworne enemies to mans salvation therefore Satan is called the red Dragon the red Dragon delighteth not onely to kill men for hunger but also for sport to kill them what can we looke for then of those infernall spirits of destruction And the last end of that man is worse than the first The end of the wicked is worse than their beginning three wayes His last end is worse than his beginning in three respects first in respect of God secondly in respect of himselfe thirdly in respect of Satan First in respect of God who justly punisheth him this wise by giving him up unto a reprobate sense because he loved not the truth secondly his last end is worse in respect of himselfe because he is dyed over againe with sinne those sinnes in the Scripture are called Scarlet sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scarlet is called Shani or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dyed So men when they fall backe they are dyed anew againe and as recidivatio in morbis est periculosa so is the falling into sinne anew againe So it is worse in respect of himselfe because after that a man is illuminated he is more readie to become prophane Simile if he be not sanctified Take water and heat it and set it in the ayre it will freeze sooner than cold water So if a man be illuminated and haue some taste of sanctification and then fall backe againe he is in a worse case than he was in before Thirdly he is worse in respect of Satan for when Satan catcheth him againe he maketh him twice more the childe of hell A Iailor hath a prisoner fettered by the hands necke and feete the prisoner beggeth of him that he would release him he releaseth him all to the foote he slippeth his foote out of the fetters and escapeth if the Iailor catch him againe he layeth a double weight upon him and fettereth him twice as sure as he was before so when a sinner seemeth to escape from Satan being enlightned and in some shew sanctified it he fall backe againe he bringeth seven worse spirits with him The application of the Parable is The application of the Parable Even so shall it be also unto this wicked Generation As if Christ should say when I came amongst you yee were in darkenesse but by my ministerie yee haue beene illuminated but maliciously now yee impugne this truth and yee are possessed with seven worse spirits than before therefore your end must be worse than your beginning FINIS ¶ An Addition Pag. 122. line 11. TO raise up seed to the brother that is to the eldest brother Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them die that is if the first or eldest die and haue no seede then his second brother was bound to raise up seede to him if he were not married for the Law speaketh of brethren dwelling together and not married or forisfamiliate an example of this we haue in Er and Onan Gen. 38. Secondly if he had no brethren then his neerest Kinsman was bound to performe this duty to him if he had not beene married But it seemeth that this dutie is required of N. Rut. 4. Object although he had children for he saith then I should marre mine owne inheritance It is onely required of him here to redeeme the inheritance but not to marrie his Cousins wife Answ this was onely stare super nomen defuncti that is to make his childe to be reputed as the childe of the dead and so the childe should not be counted his sonne but the sonne of Chilion thus his inheritance should haue beene marr'd and his name rased out and this made N. to refuse but if the Cousin were not married then he was bound to marry the wife of his Kinsman Erratum Page 166. line 13. Dele not EXERCITATIONS DIVINE Containing diverse Questions and Solutions for the right understanding of the Scriptures Proving the necessitie majestie integritie perspicuitie and sense thereof As also shewing the singular prerogatiues wherewith the Lord indued those whom he appointed to bee the pen-men of them Together with the excellencie and use of Divinitie above all humane Sciences All which are cleared out of the Hebrew and Greeke the two originall languages in which the Scriptures were first written by comparing them with the Samaritane Chaldie and Syriack Copies and with the Greeke Interpretors and vulgar Latine translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viatici parum via longinqua est By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO The Right Honorable Sr. Thomas Coventrie Knight Lord Coventrie Baron of Alesborough Lord Keeper of his Majesties Great Seale of ENGLAND Most Honorable and my very good Lord IOB the wisest and the richest Prince in the East Iob. 28.7 searching where wisedome might be found he could not finde the place thereof He could not finde it in the land of the living the depth saith it is not with me and the Sea saith it is not with me the Vultures eye hath not seene it for all his sharpe sight and for the worth of it it cannot be gotten for Gold neyther can Silver be weighed for the price thereof then hee subjoyneth God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof for he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven The wisedome which Job speaketh of here is Gods secret wisedome in his workes of nature which none of the world although they were as sharpe sighted as the Eagle can understand Now if man be so ignorant in Gods woTkes of nature much more is he in the workes of grace and he may say as Agur sayd when he considered Jthiel and Vcal Iesus Christ the wisedome of the Father surely I am more brutish then any man Pro. 30.2 and have not the understanding of a man David when he lookt upon the heavens Psal 19.1 the workes of Gods hands he sayd The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handy worke then he telleth how they declare his glory and what sort of Preachers they be The vniversality of their preaching their line is gone out through all the earth even to the ends of the world Then their diligence in preaching both day and night Lastly how plainely they preach n all languages Yet this their preaching is but an indistinct fort of preaching in respect of the preaching of
we touch the needle of the compasse with a Loadstone that the stone may draw it right to the pole againe So the mind must be touched with the Loadstone of the Spirit of grace that it may come backe againe to the Lord as to the pole EXERCITAT VI. Of the seven Precepts given to Noah Act. 15.20 We write unto them that they abstaine from things strangled and from blood BEfore the Law was written the Hebrewes say that the Lord gave to Noah seven Precepts which were delivered of Noah by tradition to his posterity after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these the Iewes call pirke abhoth capitula patrum the traditions of the fathers The most ancient first tradition that we reade of was that Gen. 32.32 because Iacob halted upon his thigh therefore the children of Israel eate not of the sinew which shranke which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day So were these seven precepts delivered by tradition The first was against strange worship or idolatry 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not worship false gods and this they called gnabhuda zar◠strange worship The second they called it gnal birkath hashem that is they should blesse the name of God The third was gnal shepukoth dammim that is he was forbidden to shed innocent blood The fourth was gnalui gniria that is he should not defile himselfe with filthy lusts The fift was gnad hagazael de rapina that he should take nothing by violence or theft The sixt was gnal hadinim de judiciis The seventh was abhar min achai ne menbrum de vivo that he should not pull a member from a living creature and eate of it This precept they say was given last to Noah Gen. 9.4 but the flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall yee not eate that is How this precept of Noah not to eate blood is to be understood as the Iewes interpret it yee shall not pull a member from a living creature eate of it as the wild beast doth but to stay untill the beast be killed and then eate the flesh thereof neyther shall ye eate the blood while it is hot as if it were yet in the body this is cruelty against a morall precept to eate hot blood while the life is in it Where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law is perpetuall for where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law must be perpetuall The reason of the Law is ye shall not eate blood because the life is in it so long as the life is in it yee must not eate it and see how this sinne Ezek. 33.35 is matched with other great sinnes Yee eate with the blood and lift up your eyes towards your Idols and shed blood and shall yee possesse the land The morall transgressions of the Law joyned with it here sheweth that it is cruelty to eate hot blood But Levit. 7.27 was the ceremoniall part of the Law and the Apostles in the councill Act. 15. forbiddeth them to eate any thing that was strangled whereby they meant the ceremoniall part of the Law Quest Whether are we to take these precepts as ceremoniall or as morrall Answ The most of these are morrall precepts and the same which are set downe againe in the Law For when the Apostles biddeth them abstaine from fornication Act. 15. See Beza Act. 15. It is the same that is forbidden in the fourth precept given to Noah not revelare turpitudinem and to interpret here fornication for eating of things sacrificed to Idols seemeth to be a strained sense for that is forbidden already by the first precept to Noah And to uncover the nakednesse according to the phrase of the Scripture is meant of bodily pollution and not of spirituall fornication Of eating of blood see more in the appendix of Command 6. Now besides these morrall precepts set downe by the councill they interlace this ceremoniall precept de suffocato forbidding to eate things strangled and they give the reason wherefore the Gentiles should abstaine from these Act. 15.21 For Moyses is read in their Synagogues every Sabbath Why the Apostles forbid to eate blood or things strangled as if Iames should say they professe not onely the morrall Law but also the ceremoniall Law yet therefore yee Gentiles shall doe well to abstaine from these things which may give them offence The Iewes respected these precepts most because they were kept in the Church even from Noahs dayes The Hebrewes adde further that there was no other precept given untill Abrahams dayes then God added the precept of circumcision and afterwards taught them to separate tithes God at the beginning taught his Church by tradition and not by write The Lord taught his Church in her infancie this wayes by traditions and not be write and even as parents teach their children the first elements by word Simile and afterwards by write so the Lord taught his Church first by word and then by write Conclusion The conclusion of this is The Lord never left his Church without his word to direct her before the fall he spake immediatly to Adam and Eve taught them In the second period he taught them by these seven precepts In the third period by the Law written and in the fourth period by the Gospel EXERCITAT VII Of the diverse wayes how God revealed himselfe extraordinarily to his Church Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets GOd manifested himselfe to his Church God revealed himselfe to his Church foure wayes first by prophesie secondly by the holy Spirit thirdly by Vrim and Thummim and fourthly by the poole Bethesda First by prophesie Sundry sorts of prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were sundry sorts of prophecie the first was lepi face to face to Moyses onely This sort of prophesie was the highest degree of revelation and it drew nearest to that sort of vision which we shall get of God in the heavens He manifested himselfe to Moyses face to face How the Lord manifested himselfe to Moses and hee knew him by his name that is not onely by the face as Princes know many of their Subjects but he knew him inwardly and liked him this was notitia approbationis Moyses saw God face to face yet he saw not the essence of God for hee dwelleth in a light inaccessable Iohn saw Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn saw God three manner of wayes First in his incarnation he saw God dwelling amongst men in the flesh here Secondly in his transfiguration upon the Mount Thirdly in the Spirit upon the Lords day Rev. 1.10 Although Iohn lay in the bosome of Christ and
was his beloved Disciple yet he saith No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Ioh. 1.18 Differ 1 Differences betwixt the revelations made to Moses and to the rest of the Prophets When God spake to Moyses he spake to his underderstanding immediatly A man hath a right eare and a left eare the understanding is like the right eare and the phantasie is like the left eare hee spake to Moyses right eare to his understanding but when he spake to the rest of the Prophets by some shapes and visible formes he spake first to their left eare Moyses saw no visible shapes nor formes except onely in the entry of his calling when he saw the bush burning Exod. 3.6 and the Angell comming to kill him in the Inne Exod. 4.24 and when he saw the paterne of the Tabernacle in the Mount Heb. 9. but usually God manifested himselfe to his understanding Differ 2 Secondly the other Prophets were astonished and weakned at the sight of God Dan. 8.27 and I Daniel fainted and was sicke certaine dayes and I was astonished at the visions So Ezekiel fell upon his face when the Lord revealed himselfe unto him Chap. 3.27 But Moyses was never affrayd at the sight of God but thrice First when he was to enter in his calling when he saw the bush burning Exod. 3.2 Secondly at the giving of the Law Heb. 12.21 Thirdly in the Inne Differ 3 Thirdly Moyses needed not such preparations before he prophesied as some of the other Prophets did Elisha before he prophesied called for a Minstrell to settle his passions that he might be the more fit to receive his prophesie 2 King 3.15 But Moyses needed not such a preperation So Paul when he was ravished to the third heaven this knowledge which he got was intellectuall and it was neyther by the sight nor by the phantasie and whether the soule was in the body here tanquam in organo vel tanquam in sede onely See Iunius de purgatorie it may be doubted The second sort of prophesie was by vision as when Moyses saw the bush burning this was presented to him when he awas awake this was the meanest sort of revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third sort was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when something was presented to their phantasie in a dreame These visions which he shew to the Prophets sometimes they were of things which really existed as Zacharie saw Iosuah the high Priest and Sathan standing at his right hand Zach. 3. Sometimes of things that might be and was not as Zacharie saw two women carrying an Ephath Zach. 5.5 and sometimes of things that were not nor never could be as the monstrous beasts showne to Daniel and to Iohn in the revelation When the Lord revealed himselfe to the Prophets in these visions The Lord appeared to his Prophets sometimes immediately and sometimes by an Angell sometimes he spake mediatly to them by an Angel As Exod. 3.2 God is sayd there to appeare to Moses but Act. 7.30 an Angel is sayd to appeare in the burning bush Sometimes againe in these apparitions he immediatly appeared to the Prophets Ioh. 12.40 Hee blinded their eyes c. these things hee sayd when hee saw his glorie that is when he saw Christs glory When the Angels did appeare to the Prophets in these visions they appeared in the shapes of men The Angels ever appeared in the likenesse of men but not in the likenesse of women or beasts but they never appeared in the likenesse of women farre lesse in the likenesse of beasts as the Divell doth therefore Levit. 17.7 they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto Divels in the Hebrew it is leshegnirem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the hoarie ones because the Divell appeared in these shapes When the Cherubims appeared they carie the face of a man the crest of a Lyon the feete of the Oxe and the wings of an Eagle they had not foure faces as some thinke but in something they represented man in someting the Lyon in something the Oxe and in something the Eagle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panim here should be translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Angels appeared in the likenesse of man they were more glorious than any man When the Angels appeared to the Prophets there was more glory in them then in other men although sometimes they concealed this glory for a while as may be seene Gen. 18. comparing it with Heb. 13.2 When Paul saw an Angell standing by him in the likenesse of a man of Mecadonia there was more glory in him than in all the men of Mecadonia Act. 6.9 Because the glory of an Angell did shine in him and in this sense it is sayd Act. 6.15 that they saw the face of Steven as it had beene the face of an Angell that is his face did shine above the face of mortall men as when the Angels appeared in humane shape But when the Lord appeared in the likenesse of a man then his glory farre exceeded the glory of an Angell When the Lord appeared in the likenesse of man he exceeded the glory of an Angel Esa 6.1 I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne First he was set upon a high throne Secondly his cloathes reached downe to the ground which signifieth his glory the hemme of his garment touched the ground which signyfied the humanity of Christ and the Seraphims covering their faces because they could not behold the glory of God And when the Lord appeared in these visions he appeared in the likenesse of an old man as Daniel saw the Ancient of dayes sitting upon a throne Dan. 7.9 and Reve. 1.14 when the Sonne of God appeared his haire was white as wooll and white as Snow but the Angels of the Lord appeared in the likenesse of young men Mark 16.5 and the Cherubims were made like young men Quest Which of the Prophets saw the most excellent visions Exekiel saw the most excellent visions Ezekiels visions for the most part were of Christ and the spirituall Temple Answ Esay saw the Lord sitting upon a throne Esa 6.1 but this was a vision of judgement to make fat the hearts of the people but the visions of Ezekiel for the most part were of Christ and the building of the spirituall Temple These visions were so high that the Iewes forbad any to reade them ante annum sacerdotalem that is before they were thirty yeares of age Whether were the revelations by visions Quest or by dreams or that which was intellectuall more perfect Thomas answereth Ans that the vision which was to the phantasie was more agreeable to the nature of man and to his estate here But that which was immediatly to the understanding commeth nearer to our estate in glory It is generally to be observed here The
the pen of a swift writer Psal 45.1 That is he not onely indited these prophesies unto them but also ruled them so and guided them in writing even as a master guideth the hand of a young child when he is learning to write Secondly he inspired them in writing the Histories and Actes after another manner per concomitantiam for that which was done already hee assisted them so in writing it downe that they were able to discerne the relations which they had from others to be true as Luke knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Luke differed frō Tertius and Baruch accurately the truth of these things which he had from those who had heard and seene Christ and he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect declaration of them there was a great difference betwixt him and Tertius who was Pauls Scribe and wrote out his Epistles Rom. 16.22 or betwixt him and Baruch who was Ieremies Scribe Ier. 38. they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the secretaries of the holy Ghost but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discribebant ab alio they wrote onely these things which Ieremiah and Paul indited to them neyther was sanctification required in them as they were their Scribes But the Evangelists who saw not Christ yet they were the Secretaries of the holy Ghost and holy men as they were his Secretaries and directed by him to write Thirdly he assisted them in writing subsequenter the holy Ghost revealed things to the Prophets long before but when they were to write these things the spirit of the Lord brought the same things to their memorie againe and indited these things unto them which they had seene before in vision Ier. 36.2 Take thee a roule and write therein all the words that I have spoken to thee against Israel and against Iuda and against all the Nations from the day that I spake to thee even from the dayes of Iosias unto this day So Ioh. 14.26 the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will fend in my name he shall teach you all thing and bring all things to your memory which I have told you These Secretaries of the holy Ghost when they wrote habebant libertatam exercitij sed non specificationis Libertas exercitij specificationis as they say in the Schooles they were not like Blockes or Stones but the Lord inclined their wills freely to write which putteth a difference betwixt them A difference betwixt the Prophets of God and the Sybiles or Prophets of the devill and the Sybils and other Prophets of the Divell who were blasted and distracted in their wits when they prophesied When Elisha sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoynt Iehu one sayd to him wherefore commeth this madde fellow 2 King 9.11 they tooke the Prophets to be madde like unto the Heathish Prophets but they were inlightened by the Spirit when they prophesied and the Lord rectified their understanding and tooke not away from them the right use of their will It is sayd of Saul when he prophesied that the evill spirit of Lord came upon him 1 Sam. 18.10 And the Chaldie Paraphrast paraphraseth it caepit furere he began to be mad the Divell stopping the passages of his body he wrought upon his melancholious humor which is called Esca diaboli the Divels baite and then it is sayd ijthnabbe impulit se ad prophetandum which is never spoken of the true Prophets in this Conjugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although the Lords Secretaries had libertatem exercitij yet they had not libertatem specificationis that is they might not leave that subject which they were called to write and write any other thing as they pleased they were necessitated onely to write that although they wrote it freely Againe these men when they wrote as the holy Ghost enspired them The Prophts did not write with paine and studie they did it not with paine and study as we doe but it came freely from them without any paine or vexation of their spirit The Princes when they heard Baruch read the prophesie of Ieremiah after that it was endited they asked how did he write all these words at his mouth and Baruch answered them He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth and I wrote them with inke into the Booke Iere. 36.17.18 Salomon saith Eccles. 12.12 In making many bookes and in reading there is much wearinesse of the flesh but this was no wearinesse to them for they wrote this without any paine or labour and hence it followeth that those to whom their writing hath beene troublesome and painfull have not beene the Secretaries of the holy Ghost as Mac. 2.26 He that assayed to abbridge the five Bookes of Iason sayd that it was not an easie thing to make this abridgement but it required both sweate and labcu Seeing all that wrote the holy Scriptures were enspired by the holy Ghost Quest Why was Iohn called a Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why was this Epithete appropriate to Iohn to be called a Divine Revela 1.1 For they were all Divines who wrote the holy Scriptures Answ The Greeke Fathers when they spake of Christ Quomodo differunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and specially Chrysostome they distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Apud caeteros aeconomiae fulmen sed apud Iohannem theologiae tonitrua extare The rest when they discribe the humanity of Christ they doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Iohn discribeth the Divinity of Christ hee doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Mattheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipit Observe a difference betwixt these speeches The Lord came to the wicked but the word of the Lord came to his Prophets The Word of the Lord came to Esay to Ieremiah and this phrase The Lord came to Balaam to Abimelech to Laban The first signifieth that the Lord put these holy men in trust with his Word to be his Prophets but he never concredited his word to these prophaine wretches therefore it is sayd onely He came to them but never the Word of the Lord came to them Hee concredited his Word to his Prophets as to Esay and Ieremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as a pupill is concredited to the trust of his Tutor but he never concredited his Word to these wretches The Lord spake in his Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat internam revelationem Hosea 1.1 The Spirit of the Lord spake in me that is inwardly revealed his secrets to me Marke a difference betwixt these two phrases Loqui in aliquo Loqui in aeliquem Loqui in aliquo is when the Spirit of the Lord speaketh inwardly to the Prophets Loqui in aliquo loqui in aliquem vt differunt sed Loqui in aliquem est maledicere to raile against him thus